Posts Tagged ‘Kia’

Microsoft and Kia unveiled their UVO multimedia system at CES this year, and today the UVO head unit hit the FCC.  Based on Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Auto software, the UVO is the next generation of Microsoft’s SYNC technology, which was offered in Ford vehicles.

UVO, which stands for “your voice,” provides users with a wide range of voice control options.  Users can control most audio features with voice commands, as well as place and receive calls via voice commands when UVO is paired with a Bluetooth cell phone.  The system can also read back text messages to drivers – a valuable feature for heavy-texting teens.

The face of the UVO features a 4.3” color touch screen display that gives users access to your standard suite of system controls.  When idle, the screen can also display widgets, including weather, calendar, traffic and stock widgets.  The UVO uses your cell phone’s data network to update widgets and system software.

Users can store music on the device’s 1GB hard drive, or connect an external flash drive through the UVO’s USB port.  The UVO also contains a 5 disc CD changer, and a host of helpful features such as a backup camera and iPod connector.

UVO will be initially offered in the 2011 Kia Sorento CUV, although we don’t have any pricing info for the system yet.

Microsoft’s SYNC technology for Ford vehicles has been moderately successful, winning several design awards while making Ford vehicles much more appealing to the tech savvy.  Today, Microsoft announced that it will be bringing a similar technology to Kia vehicles.

Known as UVO, short for “your voice”, this technology will allow drivers to control their car’s AV and communications systems with voice commands.  With UVO, drivers can navigate through music menus or search their phonebook with short voice commands.

UVO will be unveiled at CES this week, and will first be available with the Sorento CUV in the Summer of 2011.  No word on pricing, but SYNC was a $395 option for Ford drivers, so we’d expect UVO to be in the same price range.

From:  Autoblog